The Oil Painter's Handbook

From composition and value to color mixing and oil paint application, get the step-by-step guidance you need to create an oil painting with photo-like realism!

Discover your one-stop resource for oil painting success! Renowned artist Tony Curanaj demystifies the entire painting process, starting with critical considerations of composition. Use the golden mean, rule of thirds and rule of odds to make organically eye-catching still lifes that never look staged. Then, easily block in a sketch with Tony’s tricks for accuracy and alignment. Discover two transfer methods, and develop tonal structure with “wipe out” and ébauche underpaintings. Build a lifelike, radiant still life as you explore volume, form and color with Tony’s expert tips. Learn how to use scumbling, glazing and brush pressure to apply beautiful layers of paint and realistically replicate matte, glossy and transparent textures. Unlock the techniques to create a captivating still life you’re proud to show off!

Lesson plan

Lesson 1. From 3-D to 2-D

Meet your instructor, artist Tony Curanaj, and dive into the first steps of your oil painting as you consider composition choices and begin to draw.

33:46

Lesson 2. Transferring & Underpainting

Learn two valuable transferring techniques, utilizing oil or graphite, to transfer your drawing. Then paint along as Curanaj demonstrates various underpainting methods.

36:10

Lesson 3. Establishing Value

Working with value is an art in and of itself, and Curanaj helps you identify, mix, blend and paint every value you'll need for a successful and accurate painting.

25:31

Lesson 4. Developing Color

Learn how to work with the complexities of hue, chroma and value as Curanaj walks you through each step of creating a successful color study.

30:03

Lesson 5. First Pass

Using the still life in class, you'll combine your newly acquired skills as you paint a wide variety of hues, values, and various matte, glossy and highly reflective surfaces.

20:28

Lesson 6. Further Development

Push your skills even further as you explore ways to paint challenging objects such as glass, textured spheres and more.

27:13

Lesson 7. Finishing

Discover more ways to bring your oil paints to life as Curanaj explains finishing techniques such a scumbling, drybrush and glazing to give your finished work deeper complexity.

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Lesson 1. From 3-D to 2-D

Meet your instructor, artist Tony Curanaj, and dive into the first steps of your oil painting as you consider composition choices and begin to draw.

33:46

Lesson 2. Transferring & Underpainting

Learn two valuable transferring techniques, utilizing oil or graphite, to transfer your drawing. Then paint along as Curanaj demonstrates various underpainting methods.

36:10

Lesson 3. Establishing Value

Working with value is an art in and of itself, and Curanaj helps you identify, mix, blend and paint every value you'll need for a successful and accurate painting.

25:31

Lesson 4. Developing Color

Learn how to work with the complexities of hue, chroma and value as Curanaj walks you through each step of creating a successful color study.

30:03

Lesson 5. First Pass

Using the still life in class, you'll combine your newly acquired skills as you paint a wide variety of hues, values, and various matte, glossy and highly reflective surfaces.

20:28

Lesson 6. Further Development

Push your skills even further as you explore ways to paint challenging objects such as glass, textured spheres and more.

27:13

Lesson 7. Finishing

Discover more ways to bring your oil paints to life as Curanaj explains finishing techniques such a scumbling, drybrush and glazing to give your finished work deeper complexity.

The instructor

Tony Curanaj, Instructor of The Oil Painter's Handbook

Tony Curanaj took an unconventional path to classical art. Before becoming a member of The Water Street Atelier, he made his mark in the world of graffiti and as a head designer and painter for Disney. Curanaj earned a B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts, and continued his education at the National Academy of Design. His work has been exhibited across the country and is in the collections of the Groeninge Museum in Bruges, Belgium, and the Forbes Galleries in New York City. He currently teaches at Grand Central Academy in New York City.

Ratings & reviews

Class rating

(31 reviews)

Great Class!

by Blmur on March 21, 2015

This is an excellent place to start with oils!

This is an excellent place to start with oils!

Perfect

by anajewel7316984 on March 14, 2015

This class is awesome ! What I thought was rather scary ( the under painting) that " first step " now seems comfortable to me. It's great !

This class is awesome ! What I thought was rather scary ( the under painting) that " first step " now seems comfortable to me. It's great !

The Complete Beginner Guide, For Experienced Painters

by ArtDad on March 12, 2015

Just started the class. Great resource for each step in the process for creating an oil painting. I would love to see a course that would walk the viewer through the steps/issues in setting up an interesting still life.

Just started the class. Great resource for each step in the process for creating an oil painting. I would love to see a course that would walk the viewer through the steps/issues in setting up an interesting still life.

Very in-depth class

by casken on March 10, 2015

Tony does a fantastic job with explaining his process. He taught me methods such as the oil transfer that I did not learn in classes I took at my local university. I highly recommend this class.

Tony does a fantastic job with explaining his process. He taught me methods such as the oil transfer that I did not learn in classes I took at my local university. I highly recommend this class.

Excellent!

by ctedrow227147708 on March 5, 2015

I'm just getting back into painting after several years. This class not only brought back so many things I had forgotten, but I learned so much more. I'm so anxious to get painting!

Thank you for your wonderful class!

I'm just getting back into painting after several years. This class not only brought back so many things I had forgotten, but I learned so much more. I'm so anxious to get painting!

You'll be amazed at how many methods and tips you can pick up in this class, which covers everything from drawing and transferring techniques to rich explorations of color, value, mixing, recreating a wide variety of textures and much, much more!